In Stores now!

About the Book

Brian Kateman coined the term "Reducetarian"—a person who is deliberately reducing his or her consumption of meat—and a global movement was born. In this book, Kateman, the founder of the Reducetarian Foundation, presents more than 70 original essays from influential thinkers on how the simple act of cutting 10% or more of the meat from one's diet can transform the life of the reader, animals, and the planet. This book features contributions from such luminaries as Seth Godin, Victoria Moran, Joel Fuhrman, Jeffrey Sachs, Bill McKibben, Naomi Oreskes, Peter Singer, and others. With over 40 vegan, vegetarian, and "less meat" recipes from bestselling cookbook author Pat Crocker, as well as tons of practical tips for reducing the meat in your diet (for example, skip eating meat with dinner if you ate it with lunch; replace your favorite egg omelet with a tofu scramble; choose a veggie burrito instead of a beef burrito; declare a meatless day of the week), The Reducetarian Solution is a life—not to mention planet!—saving book.

About the Editor

Brian Kateman is cofounder and president of the Reducetarian Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing animal product consumption in order to create a healthy, sustainable, and compassionate world. Brian is the editor of The Reducetarian Solution: How the Surprisingly Simple Act of Reducing the Amount of Meat in Your Diet Can Transform Your Health and the Planet (Penguin Random House: April 18, 2017). A TEDx speaker and leading expert on food systems and behavioral change, he has appeared in dozens of media outlets including The Washington Post, Vox, National Geographic, The Atlantic, Forbes, Fast Company, Salon, Fox News, NPR and The Daily Mail. He is an instructor in the Executive Education Program at the Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability at Columbia University. His next book—The Reducetarian Cookbook—will be available in Fall 2018.

"This book offers us a path towards a more ecological, sustainable, humane, and compassionate world while improving our own health and well-being."

Deepak Chopra, author of Quantum Healing

"The protopian model of moral progress—small increments instead of giant leaps—is how the moral arc has bent historically. Reducetarianism is how we will achieve this moral revolution.” Michael Shermer, author of The Moral Arc

“Brian is a true visionary—a courageous leader of wellness and compassion. His practical advice and delicious yet simple recipes in The Reducetarian Solution will inspire you to transform the way you live, love and eat.”

“Full vegetarianism is a noble ideal, but many are intimidated by an illogical fear that it has to be a single major, all-or-nothing leap. Reducetarianism is a good, humane, environment-friendly, step-by-step approach to an ideal whose time will finally come."

Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, An Appetite for Wonder and Brief Candle in the Dark

"The Reducetarian Solution has transformative potential for our planet because it puts change within reach of everyone, not just the most zealous or the most committed. After all, no one is perfect, and given that, simply being better is the best any person can do."

"Almost a decade ago, I started my path to vegetarianism as a reducetarian before I knew there was a word for it. I'm so glad to see this movement spreading!"

Chris Guillebeau, author of The $100 Startup and Founder of Side Hustle School

"The reducetarian way shows us precisely how less equals more."

Robert B. Cialdini, author of INFLUENCE.

"It’s easy to operate on auto-pilot, making choices out of habit. Thank you reducetarian movement for reminding us to eat with a little more deliberation."

David Eagleman, neuroscientist, author of The Brain

“Moderation in everthing means being a reducetarian in practice. By eating less meat, you’ll be doing your body, your planet, and your kids’ future a favor. And you’ll be proving once again that small steps can take us long distances."

Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind

"Many of us are troubled by the fact that, given current farming practices, our dietary choices impose continuous suffering on billions of nonhuman animals. However, there is an easy way to be less complicit in this misery: become a 'reducetarian' and eat less meat."

Sam Harris, author of Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion

"The one thing that everybody agrees on is that vegetables are a boon to health. This book offers great ideas for how to eat more plants, feel great, and improve your health."

“The Reducetarian Solution is a game changer. It holds the key to a satisfying life and better world.”

Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice

“Trying to be perfect can be paralyzing. But we have a natural capacity for goodness, and the insight behind the reducetarian movement is that being just a little bit better—or even less terrible—can do wonders in lessening the suffering of helpless creatures."

Paul Bloom, author of Just Babies: The Origins of Good and Evil

"The Reducetarian Solution blows the lid off of everything you thought you knew about meat."

Martha Rosenberg, author of Born With a Junk Food Deficiency: How Flaks, Quacks, and Hacks Pimp the Public Health

"The Reducetarian Solution is a fresh and fascinating peak into how we change history through the surprising power of small acts that unite people in movements for social change.”

Dacher Keltner, author of Born To Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life

"Thanks to The Reducetarian Solution, it is now easier than ever to eat less meat and transform your life!"

"Making the decision to read this book and be a reducetarian is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce your negative impact on the planet."

Liv Boeree, poker player and co-founder of Raising for Effective Giving

"The Reducetarian Solution reminds us that there's a lot of deliciousness to be found outside the animal kingdom. If we can each eat just a little less meat than we do now, we can contribute to a tangible, positive change."

“Every thinking person is worried about the state of the planet, but many of us feel paralyzed by the scale of the problem, unable to take constructive action and troubled by the idea of total relinquishment of our way of life. Reducetarianism reminds us that progress is achieved incrementally. The very idea empowers everyone to participate in saving the world."

Andrew Solomon, Author of Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity

“People will aggressively defend their choice of food because nothing speaks more strongly to peoples identity. The power of this book and the reduction principle is that it recognizes this and reinforces the positive social values of food by challenging the waste of thoughtless, meaningless overconsumption.”

George Marshall, founder of Climate Outreach Information Network and author of Don't Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change

“The Reducetarian Solution shines a spotlight on proven and time-tested tips that will help you master a delicious, healthy, and compassionate lifestyle. If you are interested in unleashing your own creativity in the kitchen, you'll want to read this book!"

Scott Barry Kaufman, author of Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind

"What we eat has a big impact on the planet. We all need to do our bit, and this book shows you how”.

"Want to live a longer, healthier, and happier life? This book is for you."

Michael Greger, co-author of How Not to Die: Discover the Food Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Diseases

"The Reducetarian Solution serves as an important reminder that we are all part of one planet and must work together to achieve a sustainable, more equitable society."

Paul Ehrlich, author of The Population Bomb

"A witty, informative, and engaging book, The Reducetarian Solution is overflowing with simple suggestions to transform the way we live and manage ourselves."

Gernot Wagner, co-author of Climate Shock: The Economic Consequences of a Hotter Planet

“Incremental change, enacted on a broad enough scale, beats radical utopianism every time. Here is a great big book on how to do things smaller.”

Douglas Rushkoff, author of Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus and Present Shock

"The Reducetarian Solution is one of those rare books that benefits everyone and everything, from people and animals to the planet at large. And the best part is that it’s non-dogmatic; it sets admirable goals for the billions of humans who aren’t willing to stop eating meat entirely."

Adam Atler, author of Drunk Tank Pink

“Just as the best camera is the one you've got with you, the best diet is the one you'll follow. Here's a smart manifesto seasoned with the rarest ingredient of all: moderation."

William Poundstone, author of Head in the Cloud: Why Knowing Things Still Matters When Facts Are So Easy to Look Up

"This life-changing book is all about the power you have, right now, to gain more physical, mental, social, and spiritual strength -- by reducing one thing, one simple thing. No wonder so many people are starting to live by the reducetarian philosophy. It's simple. It's actionable. It's deliver benefits virtually instantly. If you're looking for a way to live life more fully, following the advice in this book is probably the single smartest strategy you could adopt."

Jane McGonigal, PhD, author of SuperBetter and Reality is Broken

"The case for vegetarianism is strong, and for veganism even more powerful. Yet many meat eaters – myself included – are for various reasons not yet able to make the necessary shift to better alternatives. Reducetarianism offers practical steps to address the environmental and moral concerns of our animal-consuming lifestyles. Reduction may not be better than cure, but it is certainly better than denial.”

Maajid Nawaz, co-author of Islam: And The Future of Tolerance

"Finding sustainability, stopping climate change, ending world hunger: the solution to all of these challenges involves reducing our reliance on meat production. The Reducetarian Solution reveals hands down the easiest way to make a real impact on your own health and the health of the entire planet.

Nicole Faires, author of The Ultimate Guide to Urban Farming and Food Confidential

“Forget puritanical browbeating. We can all do something to reduce our impact on the planet and make sure there’s a future here for our children and grandchildren. This is practical, achievable - and good for you.”

Alice Roberts, author of The Incredible Human Journey

“Here is a simple, smart, world-changing practice that does not require me to entirely give up pork tacos. Kudos, Brian Kateman!”

Mary Roach, author of Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal

"If you want a thought-provoking and delicious way to a healthier and happier you, then this is perhaps the most important food book of your lifetime."

Lisa Bloom, civil rights lawyer at The Bloom Firm and author of Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World

“As a favor to your great grandchildren, I suggest reading Brian's book. He shows us that less really is more. In other words, less meat equals more of a chance that we can keep the human species around.”

“I have seen the future and it is filled with reducetarians. Reducing the amount of meat we eat will selfishly benefit us as it selflessly benefits the planet.”

Brian Wansink, author of Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life

"The Reducetarian Solution is a bold new blueprint for a healthier and more compassionate food system, one conscious consumers and businesses are increasingly adopting."

John Mackey, co-founder and co-CEO of Whole Foods Market

“To eat meat or give it up is not the question. The issue isn’t all black or white, and that’s the point Brian Kateman makes in his captivating book. In it, a stellar cast adds opinion, science, and rational for cutting back on our national consumption of meat.”

Ina Yalof, author of Food and the City: New York's Professional Chefs, Restaurateurs, Line Cooks, Street Vendors, and Purveyors Talk About What They Do and Why They Do It

“The Reducetarian Solution offers a thought-provoking and informative array of perspectives on the subject of food from notable experts, together highlighting the many advantages of simply eating less meat for those who may not relinquish it altogether.”

Michaela DeSoucey, sociologist and author of Contested Tastes: Foie Gras and the Politics of Food

“Brian Kateman offers an exciting and sensible way to improve our wellbeing as individuals, communities and for our planet. The Reducetarian Solution is a fantastic guide to a happy and healthy life for us all.”

Tara Stiles, author of Make Your Own Rules Diet

"With great wisdom and humor, Brian Kateman unmasks a subtle but powerful notion: a small change among many is often more transformative than a large change among a few."

"Taking the first step in any important endeavor is always the hardest. This book is the solution to that most difficult problem. We will all be asking what took us so long?"

Stuart Firestein, author of Ignorance: How It Drives Science

"Finally! A sensible compromise on a tough, tricky issue. We can give up a little, and gain a whole hell of a lot..."

Sam Kean, author of The Disappearing Spoon

"The Reducetarian Solution reminds us that our decisions about what we eat are our closest connection with nature and affect all life on Earth. Less meat in the diets of those who live in the parts of the world with excess consumption recognizes that basic reality."

Ruth DeFries, author of The Big Ratchet: How Humanity Thrives in the Face of Natural Crisis

"There is no easier way to lean towards and benefit from a plant-based diet than The Reducetarian Solution!"